Paul, still in negotiations, would play the Hebrew slave Joshua. Weaver and Turturro are set to play the parents of Ramses.

EARLIER: As Joel Edgerton is in talks to star as Ramses, the Egyptian ruler opposite Christian Bale’s Moses in Ridley Scott’s epic “Exodus,” Hollywood is in the midst of a love affair with not only brawny Australian actors, but the Great Book. Check out our poll on the best Biblical epics of all time, from Martin Scorsese’s “The Last Temptation of the Christ” to Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Ten Commandments,” below. We skipped “Evan Almighty.”

“Exodus,” a 20th Century Fox production, will shoot in Spain, Morocco and England. Steve Zaillian (“Moneyball,” “The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo”) penned the most recent version of the script.

Meanwhile, Darren Aronofsky’s “Noah,” which stars Russell Crowe, Emma Watson, Anthony Hopkins and Jennifer Connelly, is headed toward a March 24 release. A second Moses project, “Gods and Kings,” is rumored with Ang Lee at the helm (Steven Spielberg was once attached, but subsequently dropped out). A Cain and Abel story is in development, with Sony giving Will Smith’s banner Odd Lot the green light last year.

But one hit doesn’t necessarily beget another. Remember “The Nativity Story”? That 2006 film was supposed to fly on the wings of 2004 international box office hit, Mel Gibson’s “Passion of the Christ,” but fell flat. Maybe it was because its Virgin Mary, “Whale Rider” Oscar nominee Keisha Castle-Hughes, inconveniently got pregnant at age 16.

Comments

Jerren
May 14, 2016 10:18 pm

I dunno…just like with anything, if a Bible story is a passion or fascination of a great filmmaker, then it should translate onto the screen. I'm thinking "The Last Temptation of Christ" and "The Decalogue" stand up as shining examples of this. That's why I"m pretty excited for "Noah". I feel like that last time Aronofsky was this PASSIONATE about a project was "The Fountain," which I loved. If these stories get a great artist's creative wheels turning, then why not, eh?

Agree, though, that most of the time these stories are used to stir up controversy and generate cash.

I don't understand the fascination with adapting Bible stories. for one, its not original material and you have all this stupid controversy surrounding the release because of fanatics criticizing it….and also, its not pushing forth cinema in any direction. blah….more original stories.